In addition to funding a postdoctoral fellow and a research assistant, the grant provides for state-of-the-art technology that tracks eye gaze and facial movements of children on the autism spectrum.

The technology includes six Vicon motion-capture cameras that measure facial movements at up to 515 frames per second. The lab also has an infrared Remote Eye-tracker Device (RED), made by SensoMotoric Instruments, that can take up to 500 snapshots per second of a person’s eye movement.

For the purposes of a photo demonstration, a 12-year-old girl (who is not a patient) is outfitted with reflective markers that help autism researchers in Emerson's new FACE Lab examine facial expressions. (Photo by Kelsey Davis '15)